


let me motivate you (and love you)

by professortennant



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, don't judge me their chemistry was THROUGH THE ROOF, motivational poster, new relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-16 22:57:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9293333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/professortennant/pseuds/professortennant
Summary: Daisy read the motivational poster in the bathroom. Mace decides to run with the theme and get to know his newest agent.





	

Daisy knows she’s not the same open book she used to be. She trusts a little less and keeps her heart tucked away instead of wearing it on her sleeve. It keeps people away; keeps people safe. Most people respect her secret heart and back away slowly.

Coulson doesn’t. May doesn’t. And, surprisingly, Mace doesn’t. It’s this that surprises her the most. He’s a virtual stranger to her: just a name and a face (a very, very nice face...) He has no reason to be invested in her at all, no reason to pursue. Except he keeps throwing around these motivational phrases. Not whispered in her ear or during meetings or even in agency-wide emails.

He sends her posters--motivational posters. The first one shows up first thing in the morning, slipped under the crack of her bedroom door. It’s a cat hanging from a tree branch with a rainbow stretched across the top and in big, block letters: _Hang In There._

She snorts. And then, just as she’s rolling up the poster and getting ready to tuck it away, a scrawl of black writing catches her eye in the corner:

_Since I know you read the posters, here’s another one for you. Welcome to the team. -Jeff_

Daisy hates that it makes her smile, forces herself to keep a straight face and she continues to roll the poster up. Another thing to tuck away.

Except, the posters keep coming. After a rough mission, a ridiculous poster of a frog and a pelican with the slogan _Don’t Give Up!_ and Jeff--Mace’s--message waiting for her: _You did great today. Proud of you. -J_

Another poster arrives next to her pillow as she recovers from overexerting herself in the sick bay. A unicorn taking a drink from a river amongst some trees accompanied by _I Believe In You!_. She’s pleased when she flips the poster over and (she ignores the warmth spreading through her) sees his message waiting for her: _You scared me today. Be careful out there, D._

The collection of poster grows and Daisy keeps them tucked away beneath her bed, locked in a metal footlocker and taken out on the roughest of days when she feels the itch to go to someone--anyone--on her team for comfort. Jeffrey Mace’s words keep her grounded.

It’s not just the posters that come. Mace touches her more--a hand on her back and shoulder, a bump of shoulders, a hand covering hers, a brush of fingers along the inside of her wrist (he blushes and fumbles with the clasp of her braces and Daisy laughs).

It would be easy, so easy, to allow this to continue. To keep letting him reach out to there this way and give him nothing but sass and snark and keep her heart locked away.

But she thinks maybe she can take a chance. She’s returned to her family and maybe she can take a leap of faith. This time Daisy’s the one who slips a poster under his office door, bottom lip tucked between her teeth and nervous. She waits outside the door, listens to the shuffle of feet and tries to steady her breath and the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

She closes her eyes and listens to his deep chuckle and when the doorknob turns, she wills herself not to run. He steps out of the office--tie askew and shirt wrinkled--and Daisy appreciates the bit of chest that’s exposed.

He looks at her, that dumb half-smile on his face and his eyes lit with mischief, poster clutched in his hand. Mace gestures at her, “Something to tell me, Daisy?”

Daisy forces herself to untangle her hands and take the two steps towards him, hands on his chest for balance and lifting herself up on her tip toes. “What can I say, I was feeling motivated, Director.”

She presses a kiss to his cheek and lets out a squeal as his arms come around her, tugging her into him more firmly and tilting her back. His lips slant across hers and she sighs into the kiss, hands moving from his chest to his shoulders and around his neck, playing with the short hairs at the nape of his neck.

The poster flutters to the ground, a picture of milk and cookies with cute little faces holding hands and the bold statement: _You’re Sweet and You Complete Me_. Her own handwritten message is smudged from where he’s run his thumb over the words: _Come Find Me._

She’s scared she’ll lose him. Absolutely terrified he’ll be another person she’ll hurt and cause pain and destroy by being around...

But he’s Inhuman and super strong and maybe, just maybe, she’s found the person who can stand with her.

**Author's Note:**

> Daisy and Mace had this INCREDIBLE chemistry and then I realized they had an age difference (I'm age difference garbageeeee) and so I knew a new ship had been born. Let me know if anyone else is into this pairing and I'll take prompts!


End file.
